Martin Fine at the Line to Help Fitch Reach Positive Milestone

They don’t make NBA coaches like Bill Fitch anymore.

Fitch is a lifer.

Armani suits?

Fitch prefers a blue blazer and gray slacks.

Burnout?

What’s that?

Fitch, 62, who has coached more games than any other NBA coach, reached another milestone Saturday night.

Fitch, who last month became the first NBA coach to lose 1,000 games, won his 900th game when the Clippers defeated the Sacramento Kings, 106-94, before an announced 7,269 at the Sports Arena.

Fitch, who has a record of 900-1,009 in 24 seasons, tried to downplay it.

“You guys all know how I feel about that,” Fitch said when congratulated after the game. “Just dismiss it. I thank God I’ve been around long enough to coach all those losses and all those wins.”

Only three other NBA coaches have won 900 or more games, Lenny Wilkens, Red Auerbach and Dick Motta.

An expert at rebuilding bad teams, Fitch has endured some trying seasons in Cleveland, Houston, New Jersey and here.

But he has also had his share of success.

Twice voted NBA coach of the year, Fitch guided the Boston Celtics to the 1981 NBA title and helped the Houston Rockets reach the 1986 NBA finals.

“Did you all get the confetti out?” Clipper guard Malik Sealy asked. “There’s aren’t a lot of coaches in the NBA with 900 victories. That’s a phenomenal feat at this level.”

The Clippers figure to battle the Kings for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff.

“We have natural rivals across town, but right now the rivalry is between the four or five teams that want to get that playoff spot,” Fitch said.

The game matched former UCLA point guards Darrick Martin and Tyus Edney.

Edney, who replaced Martin as a starter in Martin’s senior season, was starting his fourth consecutive game for the Kings after replacing Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf.

Martin missed all eight shots he took, but made all 15 of his free throws as the Clippers made a season-high 36 free throws. He also had a season-high seven assists.

Martin, starting his second consecutive game in place of Pooh Richardson, said he does not have a rivalry with Edney.

“We’re both former UCLA point guards,” Martin said. “Why would there be a rivalry? When you play with your friends it’s always fun, it’s always more competitive because they’re your friends.

“He had nothing to do with that decision [to bench Martin]. UCLA guys are just happy for each other, we’re not about jealousy or envy.”

Sacramento’s Mitch Richmond scored a season-high 33 points and the Kings made up all but two points of a 17-point third-quarter deficit. But Charles Outlaw scored nine of his 14 points in the final quarter as the Clippers held on for their second consecutive victory.

Terry Dehere had 16 points and Loy Vaught had 10 points and a season-high 18 rebounds as the Clippers recorded their highest point total of the season.

“When they pulled up on us, I know there were a lot of people who’ve been here before saying, ‘Well, here we go again,’ ” Fitch said. “We bent but we didn’t break.”